Internal-combustion engine



June 22 1926. 1,589,566

R. J. RUTHS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. l9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 22 1926. 1,589,566

R. J. RUTHS INTERNAL JOMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Now 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 22, 1926.

PATENT -OFFICE.

ROBERT J. RU'IHS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed November My invention relates broadly to internal combustion engines and more particularly to the valve construction of such engines.

An object of my invention is to provide a concentrlcally arranged intake and exhaust valve.

Another object is to provide a-valve construction in which the exhaust valve is cooled by the fresh mixture or charge coming in through the exhaust valve at the intake valve.

A further object is to produce a rotative motion in the exhaust valve tangential to the valve seat, thus preventing the accumulation of foreign matter and assuring the proper seating of the valve.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section showing the assembly of my valve construction,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing an intake valve in its openposition,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing an exhaust valve in its open position,

Figure 4 is an end view showing an ex-' haust cam in contactwith anexhaust tap- P Figure 5 is a view showing the operating cam assembly, and

Fi re 6 is a view showing a braking cam 1n contact with the tappet.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 is a cam shaft that rotates at the conventional speed relation of one-half the speed of the crankshaft, and that carries cams 6, 7, and 8, all of which rotate in unison. Cam 6 operates the intake valve, cam

7 operates the exhaust valve and cam 8 is a braking cam, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

The exhaust valve, consisting of tappet 9, stem 10 and head 11, allof which are of hollow construction, is slidable in valve guides 12, 13 and 13. The stem and head are preferably constructed of one piece and .thefree end of 14 ofthe stem is screwthreaded to receive the exhaust tappet, the

19, 1925. Serial No. 70,096.

stem and tappet being firmly secured in adjusted position by a nut 15 and lock washer 16. The head that seats itself against the cylinder head at 17 is provided with a plurality of webs 21 through which the gases move from the inlet ports 22 and 23 into the combustion chamber. A spring 18, engaging with a spring bearing 19 that has a ballbearing Contact with the tappet, holds the exhaust valve in contact with its operating cam and also serves as a means for closing the valve after it has been opened by the cam.

The intake valve, consisting of tappet 24, stem 25 and head 26, is concentrically mounted within the exhaust valve and is operated by the cam 6. The tappet is mounted on a stud 2'? that in turn is held within the stem 10 by a nut adjustable on the stud. A clearance 29 between the upper end of the valve stem 25 and the stud is varied by moving the stud in the desired direction, after which the nut 28 is tightened against the lower extension of the tappet. Tappet 24 is provided with a chamber 30 in which rests one end of a coil spring 31, the other end of which rests on ball bearings 32 seated in the lower portion of the tappet. Contact between cam 6 and the tappet 24 is maintained by the spring 31. In order to keep the valve firmly seated against the exhaust valve, as at 33, when not held in an open j position by the action of cam 6, I employ a spring 34 to engage with the spring bearing 35 that is provided with ball bearings 36. A cross-head 37, secured to the stem 25, serves as a means whereby thespri'ng 34 and spring bearing 35 raise the valve, and in order to prevent the cross head opening the exhaust valve upon the opening of the intake valve the stem 10 of the exhaust valve is provided with a slot 38 in which the cross head slides.

There is a rotative motion set up in the opening and closing of the exhaust valve which continues in the same direction up to the point where it comes in contact with its seat. In the conventional exhaust valve type should any foreign matter such as carbon, etc., lodge on the periphery of the valve, it

will become pressed or crushed on the closing of the valve, leaving the valve off its seat to a height equal to the thickness of the crushed carbon, which carbon becomes more firmly packed with each closing of the valve and allows the compression to escape, thereby reducing the cylinders efficiency, and placing an additional load on the other cylinders of the engine. My valve, however, with its rotative motion tangential to the valve seat dislodges in a few operations any foreign matter that tends to accumulate, and when the foreign matter has been removed, the valve will polish both the seat and itself with every operation, resulting in the valve being perfectly seated.

The rotative motion of the valve is due to the action of cam 7 that engages with the tappet adjacent to its outer periphery. The friction resulting from the pressure of the cam against the upward pressure of the springs 18 and 34 causes the valve to rotate with the cam. Cam 7 is made just a trifle smaller than cam 8 and as it leaves the tappet, cam 8 engages therewith on its diametrically opposite periphery causing a retarding or braking of the first motion of the valve thus stopping the forward rotative motion of the valve due to the momentum acquired while operating at high speed.

The operation of my device is as follows: On the suction or charge stroke, the intake cam 6 in rotating forces the intake tappet 24 downward against the upward pressure of the coil spring 31, taking up the expansion clearance at 29 and coming into contact with the upper portion of the intake valve stem at 39 at approximately 8 degrees past the top center line of the crank shaft rotation. Intake valve head 26 is pressed from its seat at 33, as shown in Fig. 2, and the vacuum made by the piston travelling downward draws a mixture of gas and air through the ports 22, and 23, and through the passageways between the webs 21 in the exhaust valve into the cylinder. Intake valve in continuing its downward course carries with it the cross head 37 forcing the spring bearing 35 against the upwardpressure of the spring 34 until the full valve opening is accomplished by the cam, the valve returning to its seat 33 at approximately 38 degrees past the bottom center line of the crankshaft rotation. The intake tappet 24 continues upward by the pressure of spring 31, thereby providing for the expansion gap 29. The piston 15 now travelling upward on the compression stroke and near or at the top center line of the crankshaft rotation, the spark for the ignition occurs.

At approximately 46 degrees before the bottom center line of the crank shaft rotation the exhaust valve cam 7 is just in contact with the exhaust valve tappet 9. The

contact point 40 is off center of the valve as a whole, and as the downward cam action increases against upward pressure of both intake spring 34 and exhaust spring 18 the friction of the point 40 increases and as soon as this friction is greater than that of the exhaust valve head 11, at its seat 17, the valve will take on a rotative motion continuing in the same direction up to a point where the valve comes in contact again with its seat thereby polishing the seat with every operation. Grinding, however, is prevented by the cam 8 that travels in unison with cams 6 and 7 and that engages with the tappet 9 the instant earn 7 leaves it. This cam is so designed as to exert a trifle more pressure at the valve closing point to avoid spinning, thus acting as a brake.

The inlet valve tappet 24 is held constantly in contact with the inlet valve cam 6 by the upward pressure of spring 31. On the exhaust valve opening, the gap 29 is enlarged to the full stroke of the exhaust cam 7 plus its original clearance.

It will be understood the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention and that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion, and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims and without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a valve mechanism including concentrically mounted intake and exhaust valves, means for opening the intake valve, means for opening and imparting a rotative motion to the exhaust valve, means for retarding said motion, and means for closing the respective valves.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a valve mechanism including concentrically mounted intake and exhaust valves, means for opening the intake valve, means for closing said valve, means for opening the exhaust valve and at the same time producing a rotation thereof, means operable in unison with said opening means for retarding the said rotation, and means for closing the exhaust valve.

3. In an internal combustion engine a valve mechanism including a cam shaft, concentrically 'mounted intake and exhaust valves, an intake valve operating cam, a plurality of exhaust valve cams contacting therewith on' diametrically opposite sides thereof, one of said cams for opening and imparting a rotative motion to said valve, and the other of said cams for'retarding said motion, and means for closing said valves.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a'.

valves, the intake valve comprising an integral head and stem, and tappet spaced from the stem, means carried by the tappet.

for varying the amount of said s ace, a chamber formed on the exterior of t e tap-. pet, means in the chamber for maintaining engagement between the ,tappet and its cam, and means for closing the respective valves.

' ROBERT J. RUTHS." 

